These wranglers double as tour guides, leading horseback rides through the surrounding arid lands, with views of the red rock mountains of nearby Sedona.

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In Tajikistan, on the southern fringes of the ex-Soviet Union, 250 shift-workers are slowly bulldozing a 32-kilometre (20-mile) road from Murgab in the Pamir mountains, eastwards across the rock, salt and sand wilderness of no-man's land, towards China.

ECONOMIST: Tajikistan

In addition to the fruitful meeting and discussions in terms of the Programme of the Seminar the participants journeyed to the mountains where they could find unique rock petroglifs, especially Beyukdash mountain.

UNESCO: The International Seminar on Rock Art "Dialogue at the Earliest Stage of Humanity." November 8-11, 2004 | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Relaxing in the lagoon, surrounded by steam, snow (in the winter) and black mountains of lava rock, is a breathtaking and uniquely Icelandic experience.

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And on the same day, a 17m space rock exploded over Russia's Ural mountains with an energy of about 440 kilotonnes of TNT.

BBC: Dinosaur-killing space rock 'was a comet'

Three others were missing in floods that followed 6 inches of rain in the rugged Ouachita Mountains near Y City, 125 miles west of Little Rock.

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We set out paddling on the water to enjoy a spectacular landscape featuring rugged, forested mountains, large rock faces, small islands and a plethora of nature.

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In the spring, tourists come from all over the world to see the natural wonders: crystalline salt popping out of the ground, sand dunes surrounded by mountains, vibrantly colored, unearthly-looking rock formations and, if there's been enough rain, blooming wildflowers.

NPR: Students Blossom in the Desert

To get around on the rock, Jackson Hole Mountain Guides teaches climbing classes, and lead single day or overnight trips up into the mountains on classic climbs.

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